Coalition Addresses Climate Change

During the Easter season, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change plans to unveil publicly a “Catholic Climate Covenant,” a new initiative to make U.S. Catholics more aware of what they can do to stem climate change and its effects. The covenant includes “The St. Francis Pledge to Protect Creation and the Poor,” modeled after St. Francis of Assisi, whose “Canticle of the Sun” praised God’s creation in the form of, among other things, earth, water and creatures. The pledge asks Catholics to pray and reflect on the duty to care for God’s creation and protect the poor and vulnerable; to learn about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change; and to advocate for Catholic principles and priorities in discussions and decisions about climate change, especially their impact on the poor and vulnerable.